The internet has made it possible to offer technical support services from remote locations. There are many ways to provide technical services remotely. For example, a user of a computer (or other device) may call technical support staff and discuss the problem over the telephone. As another example, the user may send an email or instant message to the technical support staff. As another example, the user may authorize the technical support staff to remotely control the user's computer (or other device).
In situations where remote access to a user's computer is not possible, the user may send (e.g., via email) an image (i.e., a screen shot) of the information displayed on the user's screen to the support provider so that the support provider can reference the exact information depicted on the user's screen. However, a visual snapshot of the user's desktop content does not include the accessibility context information (i.e., information that can be used to convey information to a person with a physical disability or impairment) that is associated with various application windows depicted in the desktop content.
Thus, a conventional support service approach may be essentially useless to a support provider who is visually impaired. This makes the screenshot image useless, in this scenario. Additionally, conventional technical support services which use images to identify desktop content in an off-line manner may conflict with statutory or regulatory requirements to accommodate people with physical disabilities or impairments.